Waterless gasholder



my 1.3, M37@ AR E. L UEBBEL WATERLESS GASHOLDER WMI? INVENTOR Filed Jan. 25, 1934 ATTORNEYJ Patented July 13, 1937 UNITED sTArs een 2,085,873 WATERLEss GAsHoLDER Application January 25, 1934, Serial No. 708,309 6 claims. (c1. is- 176) This invention relates to storage reservoirs y"orholders for gas `or the like,. and is particularly directed to improvements in the separating vertlcally translatable piston or deck withinthe reservoir as a movable top closure therefor. The

` gas is `coniined in the space between the piston and the closed base of the4 holder, which piston `by its weight maintains the gas under pressure andlverticallyadjusts to accommodate the gas supply contained in the reservoir.l This type of gas holder is commercially referred to as a waterless gas holder. v

In conjunctionwith the piston, a solid orfmechanical seal is employed for sealing the piston with the Wall of the reservoir, ,which Wall is preferably cylindrical.` This seal incorporates an arrangement of one or several packing rings placed on a dilatable sheet metal ring and constantly bearing, under pressure, against the wall of the holder under an influence such as levers and weights.

The sheet metal ring has been made dilatable by incorporating vertically disposed utes or ribs therein. These flutes have been designed to permit the ring to dilate either in contractive or expansive movement' and to bend to any irregular contournecessary for maintaining the mechanical seal or packing ring. in uniform and positive contact with the Wall of the `holder throughout the entire inner circumferenceV thereof.

It is the object of this invention to provide for increased flexibility or elasticity of the di- `latable ring in the radial direction as well as in fthe circumferential direction so that despite local distortions of the wall of the holder or shell the rings shape to the wall for absolute contact. To this end it is preferable to fabricate thefdilatable ring of sections, which sections are `bent and joined to form inwardly projected Vertically disposed double hinged joints. The'purpose is to permit flexing of the ring over small portions of the circumference such as over the space of one or two joints, by the ability of4 the p ring to iiex directly radially as well as to stretch and contract circumferentially. This causes` a perfect seal and a well fitted packing is always insured. It is an advantage that the joints are quite flexible and therefore the entire ring is more readily dilatable with the result Vthat less contact maintaining power is necessary to opcrate the joints, Which result is quite desirable. Other objects and further advantages Will be more fully `apparent from` a description of the accompanying drawing, in which:V 'A Figure lis a fragmentary vertical sectional view of one side of `a holder, showing a portion of the deck with the sealing rings and the dilatable ring relative thereto.

VFigure 2 is an inner side View, partially in section, of a portion of the dilatable` ring of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3 3, Figure 2, showing the sealing rings and dilatable ringin detail.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4 4, Figure 2, showing the double hinged nature of the joints of the ldilatable ring.

y Figure 5 is a View taken similar to Figure 2, but illustrating amodified form of the hinged joint.

` Figure Gis a sectional View taken on line 6 6, Figure 5, further detailing the modified joint of Figure 5.

Figure 'l is a sectional view taken on line 1 1, Figure 5, showing the modied joint.

Figure 8 is a View takenv similar to Figure 2, but illustrating a further modification of the joint.

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken on line 9 9, Figure 8, further detailing the modied joint of Figure 8. v

Figure 10 is a sectional view taken on line l0 ll, Figure 8, further illustrating the modified joint of Figure 8. Y

The essential and common purpose of all the forms disclosed is that of providing for independent sectional movement of the ring directly radially in appropriate amounts for fitting snugly to locally distorted reservoir wall portions.

Referring to thedrawingythe wall of the shell or holder is indicated at I5 and the deck or piston therefor at I6. A super-structure I'l` is provided for the piston, this super-structure carrying-the sealing unit i8, which sealing unit incorporates sealing rings I9 -in contact with the wall of the shell and the dilatable ring 20 engaged against the sealing ring. Int is not believed `necessary to describe the structure of `the. piston and its super-structure in detail but only insofar as it'is necessary to define the mounting and environment `of the sealing' unit of this invention.

' For this purpose the piston proper may be stated to comprise a fabricated structure making up a cup-shaped piston. I-beams 2| are secured around the marginl of this`- piston. I-beams Vl22l rise above and are supportedon vthese I-beams 2| and are braced relative to the piston or deckV by means of angle iron brace; elements 23 extended to the center of the piston. The uprights are joined by angle iron and channel iron elements 24. These uprights and the connecting rails form a vertical frame structure which supports a multiplicity of rollers 25 on brackets 26, which rollers engage the inner wall of the shell and form the guiding means for the piston.

The sealing unit I8 is supported on horizontal angle iron elements 21 as a part of the superstructure, the ends of these elements 21 extending into proximity with the wall of the shell. 'Ihe sealing unit may be described as hung from these rails 21. The suspension means comprises a lever 28 which has arms 29 and 3U. This lever is pivoted at its outer end on a pin 3l and has the arm 29 thereof extending radially inwardly and carrying counterweights 32 and the arm 30 extending downwardly and directly connected to the sealing unit. It will be understood, of course, that there are a multiplicity of these arms and counterweights distributed around the piston structure, whereby the sealing unit is acted on uniformly around its circumference.

Referring to the sealing unit in detail, it will be noted that there are a plurality of superimposed sealing rings, in groups of three in this case, and a spacer ring 33 therebetween, the spacer ring being out of contact with the wall of the piston and providing a sealing space between the rings. Generally circumferentially arranged angle iron pieces 34 are provided above and below the assembled rings and draw bolts 35 pass through the angle iron pieces and the rings, clamping these parts in assembly.

The vertically extended arms of the channel iron pieces are secured to the dilatable ring 20 by means of bolts 36, these bolts also securing vertically disposed angle iron brackets 31 in position on the inner side of the dilatable ring. The downwardly extended arms 3D of the levers are flexibly connected to these brackets 31 by means of links 38. Accordingly, it will be observed that the counterweights through the levers and connections to the dilatable rings are effective for spreading the -dilatable ring outwardly and the sealing rings into contact with the inner wall of the shell at all times.

A fabric seal ring 39 is secured between the sealing ring assembly and the dilatable ring and depends below the'sealing unit and is connected to the piston structure through bolts 40 and brackets 4 I. The fabric ring portion between the sealing `unit and its anchorage or connection to the piston is full, that is to say, is not drawn tautly, and accordingly permits full play of the sealing unit as it expands and contracts.

It is believed that the foregoing description fully sets forth the structure necessary for an understanding of the environment in relation. to the dilatable ring of the gas holder, and accordingly the remainder of the description will be confined to the dilatable ring itself.

In all forms of the ring shown, the ring 20 is fabricated of sections 42, which sections are combined to provide double hinged joints 43, which joints are disposed well inwardly from the main portion of the ring which is in contact with the sealing rings. In all of the forms disclosed it will be noted that the sections 42 of the fabricated ring are of channel shape and disposed vertically. In each case the adjacent drums or sides 44 of the channels are spaced apart and are connected at their inner endsby means of hinge plates 45. Packing 46 is interposed in the space formed by the adjacent arms of the sections of the hinge plates and the fabric seal ring,

In the form shown in Figures 2 to 4 inclusive, the connection of the hinge plate to the ends of the inwardly projected arms is after the form of the conventional hinge; that is to say, eyelets 41 are formed on the adjoining edges of the respective parts, namely, the arms and the hinge plate. These eyelets are superimposed and hinge pins 48 are inserted therethrough.

In the form shown in Figures 5 to '7 inclusive, the hinge plates are provided with laterally downwardly extended tangs 49 spaced from the edge of the plate a distance slightly greater than the plate thickness. These tangs are inserted through openings 50 along the outer margins of the arms of the section. The mode of assembly is as follows: Since the apertures are at least equal to the length of the tangs, the plate is inserted between the arms of the adjacent sections which are under tension toward the plate, and the tangs are permitted to snap into the openings, and upon further introductory movement of the plates downwardly the tangs engage over the material of the arms directly below the openings (see Figure 5).

In the form shown in Figures 8 to l0 inclusive, the hinge plate incorporates attaching means in the form of inverted U-shaped rod pieces 5|, brazed on the inner face of the hinge plate, the downwardly projecting arms of these rod elements being spaced from the side edges of the plates a distance slightly greater than the thickness of the metal of the arms of the sections. Bayonet slots 52 are provided in the outer margins of the arms (see Figure 10), and the rods are inserted inwardly into the slots and then downwardly into position as shown in Figure 8, holding the hinge plate in position as shown.

The function of the three forms is the same. In each case a double hinge is provided, which hinge will not only permit expansion and contraction of the ring, but will permit direct radial displacement of any section or sections as will be necessary when the Wall of the holder is distorted locally. This linked or sectional form of dilatable ring is absolutely flexible and is sensitive to the slightest variation in the curvature of the shell wall. The arms of the sections will spring as particular sections are displaced an undue amount.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A dilatable ring for the sealing unit of a gas storage reservoir piston, comprising, sections having inwardly projected end portions, the end portions of adjacent sections being spaced apart, and hinge plates connecting the inner or extreme ends of said end portions, whereby the sections of the ring have double hinged connections disposed inwardly beyond the general circumferential form of the ring.

2. A dilatable ring for the sealing unit of a gas storage reservoir piston, comprising, U-shaped sections having their side arms projected inwardly, plates between the inner ends of adjacent arms, and hinges connecting the plates to the arms.

3.` A dilatable ring for the sealing unit of a gas storage reservoir piston, comprising, sections having inwardly projected side portions, the side portions of radjacent sections being spaced apart, plates connecting the inner ends of adjacent side portions, hinge eyelets formed on the adjacent edge of the plates and arms and pins engaged through said eyelets whereby the sections of the ring are connected by double hinged joints.

4. A dilatable ring for the sealing unit of a gas storage reservoir piston, comprising, `U-shaped sections having inwardly projected end portions,

the end portions of adjacent sections being spaced apart, plates connecting the inner edges of adjacent end portions, said plates and end portions having tangs and openings respectively, said tangs extending through and downwardly from said openings, whereby the sections of the ring are connected by double hinges.

5. A dilatable ring for the sealing unit of a gas storage reservoir piston, said ring fabricated of U-shaped sections, the arms of said sections extending inwardly beyond the circumferential structure of the ring, plates disposed between the ends of adjacent arms, the margins of said arms having bayonet slots formed therein,v and said plates having laterally and downwardly extended members engageable in said slots.

6. A dilatable ring for supporting the packing ring of a gas storage reservoir piston, said ring comprising U-shaped sections having inwardly projected side arms, said arms disposed generally radially with respect to the ring and hinge connections between the inner ends of the arms of adjacent sections, whereby the hinge connections between the arms are disposed well Within the general circumferential outline of the ring and permit individual shifting of the sections relative to each other by Virtue of hinge action and the springing of the arms.

RAPHAEL B. LUEBBE. 

